the seven maidens from alttp! explanation and more details under the cut :]
I’m operating here under the idea that there are multiple ways that magic abilities can be learned or gained in ALTTP. I know that it’s said that the maidens inherited their powers, but I think it’s a bit odd for all these sage’s descendants to be in the same place together after all the generations have passed, and for this generation in specific to be some of the only people who currently have magic powers. Perhaps some of the maidens are descendants, and others are more like successors, chosen to have this role for various reasons. Usually I don’t like changing canon things but I think there’s wiggle room here because we know so little about the maidens individually. And because it creates a more interesting contrast to Link and Zelda and their themes of destiny.
I’m using the fire/forest/light/spirit/water/shadow sage distinctions for them. I’m trying to use them as themes to determine why they’ve ended up as a maiden or who they are as people. Here’s some individual information (everything in this post is a WIP and subject to change):
Della the Fire Maiden, found in the Misery Mire crystal. Somewhat childish dialogue compared to the rest of the maidens. The sick bug-catching boy from Kakariko Village is her little brother. She is high-energy and passionate and glad to join the maidens in hopes of finding a way to help her brother. She is close friends with Sylvie.
Sylvie the Forest Maiden, found in the Thieves’ Town crystal. She is hopeful, commenting on Link personally and cheering him on but can’t help but worry as well. Blind copies her gentle demeanor to trick Link into believing his disguise. She lives with her family in Kakariko Village and is close friends with Della, though she feels more conflicted about her skill and role as a maiden than Della does.
Reyna the Light Maiden, found in the Ice Palace crystal. She is a relative of the previous Sage of Light. Has lots of knowledge on the maiden’s powers. As the daughter of the fortune teller at Lake Hylia, she is in-tune with magic and her family’s history. She is quite serious and bookish but gets easily flustered. She struggles to get along with the rest of the maidens, though she is interested in Naomi who she shares common interests with.
Naomi the Spirit Maiden, found in the Swamp Palace crystal. Interested in history and warping points, she likes to do research. Granddaughter of the lost old man on Death Mountain, who has taught her his healing magic skills. She likes looking into her grandfather’s Magic Mirror and the Dark World. She’s quiet and stoic and has her head in the clouds a lot but opens up and gets excited when she’s interested in something.
Roxy the Water Maiden, found in the Dark Palace crystal. She talks about the other maidens a lot, she does her best to be close with them. She’s friendly, like the glue of the group but gets frustrated quickly when the others don’t get along perfectly. She lives on her own in Kakariko Village ever since her parents have gone missing after going out to look for the Golden Power.
Iris the Shadow Maiden, found in the Skull Woods crystal. She is a relative of the previous Sage of Shadow. She is the daughter of a royal soldier, who raised her to be one of the seven maidens. She is very serious and mature as she talks about the Great Cataclysm, but she also has a more relaxed and playful side. She is a bit cocky about her skill.
Did you ever cover whether cybugs can swim? Because I have this image of them being able to swim pretty well, but enforcers being cats and mimics being dogs and Jeetle relaxing in the hot sink while Peetle is disgusted(TM) and Blue is standing at the edge, undecided, because 1) wet, but 2) Jazz, but 3) WET!!!! lol. Love these bugs so much!
HI IVE BEEN THINKING ABT THIS ASK FOR MONTHS. its never been established if they can swim but i think itd be really neat if they could inflate their tyres so they can float a lil bit!!! they're a bit big for surface tension to work how it does for smaller bugs, but i find the image extremely endearing. i figure jazz'd want to teach blue, so he might just grab him and float on out LMAO.
as for actual swimming... i think they wouldnt do well fully submerged, BUT! since their wings are made of stiffer stuff than irl bug wings, what if they could also use them to propel themselves...
You met under weird circumstances and even though you both had equal feelings towards one another, there was no way this would work out. Well, it did and now, after a year with a ring on your finger, you're meeting the family.
request: here
authors note: this request was so cool with the loa!reader SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG AHH
warnings: NO USE OF Y/N, fem!reader, broken nose, blood, mentions of death, lazarus pit, nervousness
words: 3490
dividers: by @saradika-graphics
masterlist
After being resurrected by Talia, Jason trained under the League of Assassins and that’s where you met him.
“Jason, meet your trainer” Talia points her hand at you.
Your eyes scan his figure, he’s tall, piercing green eyes and broad shoulders but he’s awkward like he doesn’t know how to fit in his new body, as if that little Robin boy is still inside him.
His state is natural, you’ve seen the effects of the Lazarus Pit with your very eyes - suddenly you’re not like yourself anymore and you have to navigate a new you without your knowledge or consent. That’s why Talia has you here, to train him to be the best assassin anyone has ever seen and consequently help Jason figure out who he really is.
You extend your hand to him and, assuming you’d want to shake hands, he takes it, you raise an eyebrow.
In a second Jason feels his arm twist and suddenly he’s on the floor.
“First lesson, don’t trust anyone”
Jason groans as he sits up and rubs the back of his neck.
“You will get used to it eventually” Talia pats his shoulder and leaves you two.
Oh boy, was this going to be an adventure.
Over the course of the next month, Jason went through intensive training: wake up, train, sleep, repeat.
His hand swings for a left hook which you block with your left arm, as he recovers you take the opportunity to attack his unprotected side jabbing your foot on his left ribs. Jason grunts at the hit, he should’ve predicted that, but you’re too slick.
“Again” you sigh and offer your hand to help him up.
He doesn’t take it, instead swats your hand away, just like you said on that first day trust no one.
“At least you’re learning” your smirk is prevalent as you cross your arms.
He grunts at you in response, not even glancing your way he grabs his water bottle.
Jason can’t handle the sound of your voice saying again, again, again, he always does something wrong, at least around you.
“I can feel the frown on your face from here” you tell him as you rebandage your knuckles for the next round.
You don’t hear an answer from him so you press on.
“If you’re so pissed, get it out on me” you get in a fighting stance.
He can’t resist your threat and goes back to fighting mode.
Jason is a wild card, some days he’s calm, others not so much and today he seems on edge.
Stronger punches, stronger kicks fly to your direction and you don’t have enough arms to cover them all, eventually you see his hand knocking straight to your nose and everything turns into slow motion.
His fist makes contact with the bridge of your nose, you’re sure you hear a crack, only when your back hits the mat is when you feel the hot flow of blood coming out of your nostrils.
There’s a beat of silence, you sit up by yourself and wipe your nose with your hand which did not help at all and then you look at Jason.
His eyes are cold, but the furrow of his eyebrows tells you he feels bad.
“Good punch, but we still have a lot to work on” you get up from the floor, your head feels a bit dizzy, your main worry is to not stain the clean mats with the blood.
“WHAT? I beat you!” Jason yells behind you.
You look at him with wide eyes, you’ve never seen him like this. His red stained hands are fisted at his sides, his shoulders are tense and his green eyes are glowing, must be the effect from the pit.
“You really have a lot to learn” you turn your back once more and hold a towel on your nose.
“What do you mean?!” Jason takes three big strides in your direction, his puffed chest almost touching you.
“You’re not ready, now if you’ll excuse me” you don’t waste more time, you need your nose fixed.
That same night you walk by the training room to see Jason laying on one of the mats seemingly deep in thought.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed by now?”
Your voice makes him sit up, your nose looks rough, although it's bandaged he can see the purplish redness from the edges.
“I shouldn’t have yelled” he states looking down at his calloused hands.
You take it as an opportunity and sit beside him.
“It’s normal, Lazarus makes your anger get out of control”
He looks up at you, he can’t stop looking at your nose, he did that.
“This” you point at your nose “is a lesson for you”
“You need to relearn how to balance your yin and yang, your calmness with your anger, that’s why I poke fun and rile you up, you need to control your emotions”
“I clearly didn’t and broke your nose”
“That’s why I’m here, that’s my job, you have incredible strength, but it needs to be tamed”
He looks back at his hands, he has washed the blood off but somehow it feels like it’s still there.
“I told you to trust no one, I guess that’s my fault, because you need to trust me that this training is going to work”
Jason’s green eyes look back at you, he’s tired, he can’t believe he’s going to agree with you, the person who’s been pestering him for the past month, but he nods affirmingly.
Jason hates to admit things, but letting you in, trusting you, has been one of the best decisions he’s ever made. It’s been a while since he broke your nose, you healed up nicely and he’s gotten better at hand-in-hand combat, he even defeated you a couple times.
The longer you spend together, the closer you get, it’s a scary thing for both of you, what if you’re caught, but the undeniable chemistry keeps you together.
You’re both breathless on the floor after an intense match. You turn your head to him.
“You know, I think you’re different” you state.
“How so?”
“I don’t think you belong here, to be mercenary for others” you whisper automatically thinking someone’s listening in.
He turns to his side a little closer to you “What?” he whispers back.
“You have so much more to give Jason, you can make real justice and not follow orders” your hand holds his with a squeeze.
“You’re not meant for this, you should be doing more”
“What about you?” his face turns confused, his hand grips yours harder afraid you’d let go.
“I’ll stay here, this is what I do, but I can get you out” you lift your joined hands and kiss his hand.
He knows you’ll never take no for an answer, he sighs because he knows you’re right, he’s been wanting to escape the League for a while now, to go back to Gotham.
“Okay what’s the plan?”
Jason’s leaving tonight, the perfect time since the Al Ghuls are not around, he’s packing his bag when you enter his room.
“Hey” he stops packing.
“Hey” you close the door behind you.
You approach him, hands holding something.
“I found these” you open your hands revealing two silver bands, they’re thin and barely noticeable.
“I know it’s silly, but I’d want you to have one, for you to know I’m with you”
He takes one of the delicate rings in his hand.
“Also there’s a tracker in it, so we both know where we are” you chuckle slightly.
“I knew there was something more” Jason chuckles along. “May I?”
You raise an eyebrow but let him put the ring on your finger, you do the same to him.
“Guess we’re married” Jason jokes.
“Guess we are” you laugh with him.
You look at the bag on the floor, it’s time for him to leave. He takes your chin in his hand.
“Hey, we’ll see each other again” his hand goes to your cheek caressing the skin there.
“I’ll be your spy on the inside” you nuzzle against his hand.
Your hands circle his waist and lock at the back pulling your bodies closer. His hand never leaves your cheek, he guides your face closer to him, your lips lock perfectly, his rougher lips kiss yours desperately, your fingers guide up his back pulling him impossibly closer. The hunger of the moment suddenly stops as you taste a salty tear on your lips, you didn’t notice you were crying.
He breaks apart the kiss to assess you.
“Are you okay?” he whispers, his breath ghosts your lips.
“I don’t know why that happened…I’m going to miss you” you whisper back.
“Me too, trust me”
“You’re the only one I trust” your hands slide up his chest and around his shoulders pulling him back in which he gladly accepts.
This time the kiss is softer, slower, as if you’re savoring every last bit of time with him, you memorize every ounce of him, his smell, his eyes, every dip and curve, every stubborn remark. You’re the first one to break the kiss, as much as it hurts to leave his warm embrace, he needs to go, it’s now or never.
You stand by the window he just jumped out of, the nightly breeze is cold against your skin, you don’t know if the chills on your arms are from nervousness or from the cold, you see his figure disappear in the distance, those vibrant green eyes stare back at you one last time before disappearing out of sight.
You haven’t seen each other in over a year, since he left, the League has been more on edge and of course, because you’re the intel on the inside, you help by giving information.
But not everything can be perfect, once something starts to turn like a routine you know something’s bound to happen. Your ear piece is not in the same place as it usually is.
“Looking for this?” your frame freezes at the sound of Talia’s voice and as you look at her you see she’s holding your communication ear piece, shit.
You don’t even try to explain, you know you either escape now or you’ll be dead. So you start running.
Through the big halls many members run after you, you know you’re outnumbered, there’s only one way out, through the big window at the end of the hall.
The sound of glass breaking makes the members stop in their tracks, you were gone in the wind.
“Find her!”
That’s the last thing you hear Talia say before you never see her again.
You luckily fell on top of a big enough bush that stopped your fall enough for you to be alive, but you had a limp, your skin was cut by the glass and the branches.
You limp your way into Gotham City’s streets, with your last strength, you press the tiny button on the silver ring and collapse to the ground.
Jason was at the safe house cleaning his gear when the alarm started going off.
“What the-” he drops everything once his ring starts to glow red, something’s wrong with you. He checks your location.
“In Gotham?” Jason quickly grabs his helmet and he’s out of the house.
Your eyes pry open slowly, you don’t recognize the ceiling, yet when you breathe in you recognize the smell of gunpowder and cologne, Jason. You sit up quickly.
“Hey hey slow down alright!” Jason’s right beside you supporting your head helps you sit up right.
“What happened?” your hoarse voice speaks up, you look at your arms, they were bandaged, along with your swollen ankle.
“You tell me, if it wasn’t for the emergency alarm you’d be dead in the alley”
Your hand goes to your forehead as you remember the prior events.
“The league found out about us, I ran away”
“Well shit” Jason’s eyebrows lift instantly, he sits beside you.
“Yup” you answer ironically popping the p at the end.
“At least you found me” you look at him with a fond expression.
Jason can’t wait any longer, he pulls you into a hug and lays down with you on top of him, his lips pecking your forehead.
“You scared the shit out of me” he mumbles against your forehead.
“I’m not going anywhere now” your hands find his hair combing away his curls.
Living with Jason is an adventure, you work at home and help him out on patrol, you’ve learned your way around tech and help create plans with him.
“You’re on your way back?” you ask him from the computer.
“Yeah I’ll be there in 10” he answers from the comms.
You put your laptop down and head to the kitchen where a huge corkboard is hung up on the wall, blueprints of buildings, mugshots of criminals with information underneath and the red string connecting all of the pushpins together.
You grab the yellow sticky notes and start annotating the new information on the Joker and his goons, ready to plan the next phase of yours and Jason’s plan.
“Where would he attack next?” you mumble in thought as you tap the blue pen against your chin.
Your thoughts are interrupted by the creak of the living room window followed by the windy sound of the outside world.
“Hey miss detective” Jason takes off his helmet and heads in your direction.
“Hey, did the patrol finish well?” you ask him as your arms wrap around his middle, meeting him halfway.
“Of course, well someone was busy, you’ve updated the board” Jason’s eyes turn towards the big board on the wall.
“Although there’s still a lot we have to figure out, I’m still not too good at hacking” you lean your hip against the table with your arms crossed.
“I know some people” Jason mumbles as he rubs his chin thinking if calling them is a good idea.
“Really? That would help a lot, who?” you face him with an excited glint in your eye.
Can’t back up now, he thinks before answering you.
“My family”
The words hit you like a ton of bricks, Jason wasn’t really open on the family topic, all you know is that he has some unfinished business with them and resents them a bit, but the way he speaks of certain memories with an unconscious fondness in his eyes makes you believe he misses them, even just a little bit.
“Your family…” your hand ghosts over his shoulder “Jason, are you sure?” you ask in a quiet tone.
He sighs deeply and closes his eyes, he knows the only way of finding Joker’s attack sooner is through them and their archive.
“Yeah I’m sure, it’ll be easier to find Joker’s next attack”
He takes your hand in his, his thumb traces over the smooth silver band on your ring finger.
“Also, I’d like you to meet them”
Your smile grows at the sentence, you're glad he trusts you to meet his family, after all you’re technically part of it since you’re “married”, so there’s no way you’d say no.
“I’d love to J” you reach up and peck his cheek softly “Now c’mon let’s patch you up”.
You’ve never seen Jason so nervous, it’s the third time he’s buttoned his shirt wrong.
“Let me” you ask him before unbuttoning the wrong ones and putting them back in their right spot, leaving the top button open so he doesn’t feel so constricted.
Your hands rest on his chest, you can feel his heart racing “Are you okay?”
“Just nervous I guess” he plays with the collar of the shirt.
“It’ll be fine, I’m sure they’re lovely people” you take his fidgeting hands in yours
“At least Alfred is, you’ll love him" his shoulders relax and he squeezes your hands.
Waiting at the big entrance of the manor was a bit nervewracking, you shifted on your feet and held Jason’s hand tightly, your focus shifted once the door was opened.
“Alfred” Jason briefly hugs the butler who hugs him back.
Jason then takes your hand and introduces you.
“It’s very nice to meet you Mister Pennyworth” you lift your hand for a shake.
“Oh please call me Alfred” he takes your hand and gives a small peck on your knuckles.
You walk in and follow Alfred, you see Jason’s expression, he looks somewhat nostalgic as he speaks to the butler, someone he’s mentioned to be a father figure.
When you enter the dining area, all of the members are sat down chatting and waiting for dinner to start. All fo the chatter stops once you both enter with Alfred.
“Great you made it!” you hear a voice speak, a young man around Jason’s age with blue eyes and dark hair.
You start to remember what Jason told you “Dick’s the oldest, he’s seriously too energetic for his age”. So that’s probably him, you connect the dots.
“Who’s that?” another voice speaks over, a teenager with tired eyes analyses you.
Oh that must be Tim, you think, or as Jason would say “Tim looks like he hasn’t slept ever”.
Before you can answer Tim, more questions are being thrown your way, you can’t really tell who’s who now and you realize Jason wasn’t kidding when he said “the family is a bit overwhelming”.
Though a lower voice cut through the noise “Everyone, calm down”.
You look up to where the voice came, sat at the end of the table is none other than Bruce Wayne, the command he has in the room makes everyone quiet down to just a few whispers.
“I’m glad you could join us Jason”
“I said I’d be here Bruce”
“And you brought someone” you feel Bruce’s piercing eyes darting towards you, just like Tim, Bruce almost inspects you like a detective in a crime scene.
You automatically straighten your back, Jason notices and keeps a firm hand on your lower back, thumb caressing the area as if telling you not to worry.
You all sit down and dinner starts well with small talk, though you can tell everyone wants to ask more but they don’t want to make you uncomfortable, until a new voice talks.
“So what are you to Jason?” the youngest at the table, Damian, asks you bluntly.
Your mouth opens and closes at the question.
What were you really? You’re a couple for sure, but the whole “married” situation wasn’t official by law, no paperwork was done, no wedding, even if it feels real for you both, you question if you could be called wife and husband.
“I’m his-”
“-wife” Jason finishes the sentence and goes back to eating like nothing happened.
“And I’m her husband, we’re married” he wipes his mouth with the napkin, the non-chalant expression maintains.
“WHAT” almost everyone at the table is off their seats like a standing ovation, only Alfred and Bruce sigh at the reaction of the rest of the family.
“WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN THAT?!”
“YOU’RE MARRIED?!!”
“WHAT! SINCE WHEN!”
All of the voices go back to overlapping each other and asking an overwhelming amount of questions.
Only when Alfred lets out an obvious cough is when everyone stops mid-question, going back to their seats.
“So how did this arrangement come to be, may I ask?” Alfred proceeds with the question everyone wants answered.
“It was under strange circumstances to say the least” you speak up this time and look at Jason for validation, he takes your hand and joins with his on the table.
“She works in the same field as us and it happened”
“That’s all we get?!” Dick intervenes.
“Yeah dickhead it’s none of your business”
“Um it sort of is since I’m meeting my sister-in-law”
“No, you need to put your nose back in your-”
“Jason” Bruce interrupts the dynamic duo.
“If you’re happy with each other, that’s all we need to know”
You nod to him.
“Then it’s settled, you’re welcome in the family”
It’s rare to see Bruce smile, but even a tight lipped smile slipped and that made Jason squeeze your hand harder as his shoulders relaxed slightly, but not letting his full guard down.
Let’s say dinner was a success, you’re walking back to the car with containers full of leftovers and desserts that Alfred insisted you needed to bring home.
“Your family is nice, chaotic, but nice” you bump shoulders with him.
He lets out a scoff “Chaotic doesn’t even cover half of what they do, at least tonight they behaved…somewhat”
You chuckle.
“C’mon, it was fun and I think I bonded with your sisters during dessert” you excitedly tell him.
“That’s true” his arm comes up to wrap around your shoulder
“Oh- and Bruce gave us the password to the Joker archive” you tell him.
“Touché, I guess we were successful after all” he smirks at you.